Divided-load thrust bearing



June 12. 1928. 1,673,021

A. B. REAVIS DIVIDED LOAD THRUST BEARING Filed Oct. 19, 1922 INVENTOR WITNESSES:

/y 4 [lg :05?" swig (7 ATTORNEY Patented June 12, 1928.

ANDREW B. REAVISL 0 swAitTHiiioRn, PENNSYLV NIA, assesses j'ro WESTIKENG- HOUSE ELECTRIC amp 'Maunracmnnme COMPANY, A CORPORAITIONVOF PENN- SYLVANIAS Application med'memver 19, 1922. Serial museum.

My invention relates to'thrustbearingsof the multiple collar type',-an d it has for-its object to' provide apparatus ofthe-character designated which "shall permit of theaccurate sub-division of -the thrust among the respective collars of a bearing, in a'ccordance with any: predetermined requirements, in 'a; simple and effective manner. i in: 7 i 1;.

'In the accompanying draw-ing,'-Fig. 1-isa side view,-partially diagrammatic, of-a thrust bearing constructed in-accordance with my invention, and Fig. '2 is a similar View of a modification of the thrust bearing-shown-"in Fi 1 i, :;i.:'

iii the construction of thrustbearings for the sustenance of extremely heavythrust loads, as, for example,- on the propeller shafts of' ships, it is frequently foundextrem'ely difficult to make up all the load on a single thrust collar and it has, th erefore, 'been proposed to sub-divide this load among'two or more thrust collars, each taking 'a-desired portion thereof. j a

In accordance with the present invention, 1 provide, for examplc,-t\votixed thrust collars encircling a common shaft and'di'sposed in spaced relation one to the other, and 1 further provide a plurality of arcuatc equalizing levers which engage said collars at their-respective ends sofar as to receive therefrom thrusts in the same direction, and I further provide fixed 'pivotsfor said arcuate members, said pivots being intermediate the ends of the respective levers, both in a linear and in an angular sense, all as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

Referring to Fig. 1 of-the drawing for a more detailed understanding of my invention, I show a rotating shaft 55, carrying a thrust in the direction indicated by an arrow 6. Suitable flanges 7 and 8 are carried by said shaft and respectively transmit thrust therefrom to appropriatelydisposed fixed collars 9 and 10. Ihave shown-; t-he fixed collars 9 and '10 as provided with-tilting bearing blocks12 and 13 of the'wellknown Kingsbury-type, although this particular feature forms no-partof tie present invention.

Anumber of arcuate levers 14,- 15,; 16 and 17 are provided, each engaging'the righthand face of the fixedvcollar 9 in compression,as shown,'the Contact being made preferably in a knife edge. Similarly, each of the th'rOWvjmc; rl -r -v v i; The lever 16 isopivoted izintenmediate. its length, as indicatedaat ;20,i;an-'d notcnly: is

example, two toone.

as oan THRU'ST BEARING.

arcuate levers zis'connectedto ,thei-left-hand face of the fixed collar 10ithr0u'gh a tensile connctionzass shoyvnna't l8,".l9-and 20; :--The arcuate lever-,1 16 shown 13S. engaging the collar 9 at; point); substantially 180? ire.-

moved in an angular sense from-its; point-:of

engagement withithecolla'n 10 and similarly, with respect to ithei remaining 'leversl' While I hiwe .Lhus'jllustrat'ed tan l809-i'throlwi'of: the levers, this iparticulaneangle isin.:no sense necessary, but: the fu'ntiohsof- 'my. invention may be attained with-:any :desired angular theI pivQtEQO intermediate zof-the length of the lever 16 but zit-is alsoiintermediate the ends thereof-inc anuangular sense; and similarly the remaining levers ?a.re all. :pi'voted. -Tliepivots 20 are *carried by? any-suitable supportingstructure-121' and vthey serveas supportingi means' forlthe non-rotatable collars 9 and 10 iwhich-tc'arr the thrust-shoes.

Having; thus describe the arrangement: of a structureen bodying my invention-,the op- .eration is asfollowszt Assuming'ithat it is desired to equally distribute the thrust between the two thrust-receiving collars, the pivot 20 is located ratv-the-mid-point of the lever :16. If thethrustupon the collar 9 sexceeds that upon the collar-10,the left-hand end of-each 0f the.;lever's-is forced back to a slight extent, bringing.jforward-zthe righthand ends of saidlevers and slightly moving the collar..10' -toward'the left, with a slight relative-rotatlonof the collars, thus causing the collar .10 'to iassumea. greater portion of .the:totalthrust,'and, similarly,- if the thrust,

on thecollar 1O excedsthat on the collar=9, the right-hand .en'd of 'each of--th-e-levers move slightlytowardthe right,moving each of the left-hand-ends toward the left, and causingthe collar 9 to assumes; greater share of the thrust.--. 11;. 1.;

- While I-ha e illustrated-the pivots as located at the'mid-points ofthe respective levcrs for the i equalization: of the thrusts r between thecollars 9 and 10,'-it will .be obvious that by locatingthe pivot at any other desired point, the thrusts may be divided in accordance with a predetermined ratio of, for

From the foregoing, '1t"Will be obvious that the right-hand end of the lever 16, for

example, must be on the other side of the pivot 20, in an angular sense with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 5, than is the left-hand end of the lever 16 as otherwise the forces would not act to produce the desired result.

The form of my invention shown in Fig. 2 is in general similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that the levers 141, 1-5, 16' and 17' are extendedover the collar 10 so as to engage the rear face thereolf in compression rather (than to engage the front face thereof in tension. The operation-of the deviceof Fig. 2 will be obvious from a con:- siderati'onof the operation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

While I have illustrated a group'of tour levers for performing the thrust-distributing function, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that any desired number may be employed, although a minimum or three is in most 'cases necessary and in fact the use of three levers ensures proper distlribution of stress among the respective levers in a highly advantageous manner, in a manner similar to the action of the welllmown three-point suspension.

hile I have shown any invention in but two forms, it will be obvious to thoseslrilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing firom the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore. that "only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

V-hat I-claim is:

1. In equalizing means for a thrust bearing of the multiple-collar type, the combination with two substantially fixed thrust-receiving collars encircling a common shaft, of a plurality of arcuate members, each so engaging said collars at its respective ends as to receive thrust therefrom in the same 'direction, the points of engagement of the ends of a iven member being substantially diametrically opposite with respect to each other, and a tired and supporting fpivot at an intermediate point of each member.

2. In a multiple-collar thrust bearing, the combination with two substantially fixed thrust-receiving collars, of a helical lever member engaging said collars at its respec tive ends at points angularly displaced with respect to each other, and a fixed and supporting pivot for said lever intermediate its ends and-angularly intermediate sa-i'd points of engagement, the ratios of the respective lever arm defined by said pivot being inversely proportional to the respective loads which it is desired that said collars assume.

3. In a multiple-collar thrust bearing, the

tive ends at combination with two substantially fix d thrust-receiving collars, of an arcuate lever member engaging said collars at its respective ends at points substantially 180 apart, and a fixed pivot for said lever member angularly intermediate its ends, the lengths of the lever arms defined thereby being inversely proportional to the respective loads which it is desired that said collars assume.

4. In a multiple-collar thrust bearing, the combination with -.-two substantially fixed thrust-receiving collars, of an arcu-ate Ilever member engaging said collars at its respecpoints substantially fixed thrust-receiving collars, of an arcuate lever memberrengagi ng said collars at its respective ends at points substantially 180 apart, and a fixed pivot for said-lever member, disposed substantially 90 away from the reends and substantially midway of the length of said lever, whereby the loads transmitted to the respective ends of said lever are substantially equalized.

5. In a multiple-collar thrust bearing the combination with two substantially fixed thrust-receiving collars, of a plurality of helical levers, each engaging each of said collars at its respective ends to receive thrust therefrom, and a thrust-receiving pivot associated with each of said levers.

6..In amultip-le-collar thrust bearing, the method of adjusting the relative loads taken by each of two collars which comprises balancing ,a thrust received from one point of one collar against. a thrust received from a point of'the other collar, the latter point being disposed diametrically opposite from said first mentioned point,

7. In a multiple thrust bearing construction; the combination of a rotary member having a pair of axially-spaced collars thereon, a pair of thrust resisting collars arranged in cooperative relation with the first collars, a plurality of lever members extending both axially and ci-rcuniferentially with respect to said member and having the ends thereof supporting said thrust-resisting collars, said lever members being so disposed that the points of support for each thrustresisting collar are substantially equi distantly spaced angularly, and supporting pivot means for thel'ever members.

8. In a multiple-collar thrust bearing, the combination with two fixed thrust receiving collars, of a helical lever member disposed therebetween compressive connection to one of said collars and in tensile connection with the other thereofi, and an intermediate fixed pivot for said lever.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 11th day of October, 1922.

B. REAV IS. 

